Maybe IMG just wanted to balance 2 Americans (Wagner, Gold) with 2 Canadians (Chan, Buttle) for Team North America? This competition should give Gracie a bye through her Regionals (Upper Great Lakes) in October.

Isn't "Carnival on Ice" the day after the Japan Open? Gracie probably doesn't want to skate on back to back days which would be insane. Plus October is the start of the GP season so i don't see why she would want to skate in a couple other events beforehand just a couple weeks before Skate Canada..

Isn't "Carnival on Ice" the day after the Japan Open? Gracie probably doesn't want to skate on back to back days which would be insane.

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No, it's on the same day. Which means two performances in one day (as skaters do just one competition program at Japan Open) - nothing insane here. In other shows, skaters often have to do two performances in about two hours time, plus the collective opening and closing numbers (although not always). And sometimes they have to do that twice in one day, and then also the next day, and the day after that. Of course, a show performance is not a competition program, but I can imagine that it takes a lot of energy as well. So, skaters are used to that.